


Being a Big Brother

by olivemartini



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Romance, ronmione
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-30
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-12 02:13:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4461401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/olivemartini/pseuds/olivemartini
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just Ron asking Fred for advice about Hermione.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Being a Big Brother

Fred didn't say anything for a few seconds after reading the letter. He couldn't even think anything, let alone believe the words he had read. Ron, whom he and George had sworn up and down would down would never find a woman to love. Ron, his little brother, who was scared of spiders, and such a pansy they thought he'd be in hufflepuff. Not that there's anything wrong with hufflpuffs, he thought quickly, thinking immediatly of what Tonks would say if she knew what he was thinking. Ron, who had the emotional range of a teaspoon, saying he was his favorite brother, asking him for advice with girls? It couldn't be the Ron he knew, couldn't be his brother. Still, the handwriting was his. Gloancing at the door to make sure Verity wasn't going to come barging into the supply room, complaining about a difficult customer, he read it through again. There was no introduction to the letter, only one line that made him pay attention instantly.

I messed up Freddie.  
I messed up big time, and I've run out of people at Hogwarts who I can talk to. It's about Hermione. I can't talk to Neville, who wouldn't understand it, I can't talk to Ginny, who wouldn't want to help, I can't talk to Harry, who wouldn't know what to say, and I sure as Hell aren't going to talk to Seamus or Dean about this. No, Fred, I messed up big time (and you have no idea how much it's costing me to admit this to you) and I need your help. Charlie wouldn't want to help, and Bill's busy with Fluer, and I'm not sure George would waste his time. You're my favorite brother Fred. Please, do this for me.  
I got a girlfriend. I know, I can practically feel your surprise as you read this. The only problem is, the girl isn't Hermione. It's Lavendar Brown. I don't even LIKE Lavender Brown. I was just looking for a way to make Hermione jealous, and, for lack of a better reason, Lavender was available. It's not like she's a horrible girlfriend either, she's great, which makes it ten times worse.  
Hermione won't talk to me. I blew it. I blew it big time. You were always right, when you and George used to tease me. I think you knew it before I did. She's incredible, you should see her. Still top of the class, prefect, perfect in every way. She's got guys drooling over, doesn't even notice it. I can't get her out of my head, but I can't get her to stay in the same room with me.   
That's not the awful part. The awful part is, I think we might ghave been about to go on a date before I screwed things up for us. I really wanted that day Freddie.  
Please, if there's a serious bone in your body, do your brother a favor and give me some good advice. I'm miserable.  
Ron.

 

The door opened with a creak, revealing George, his face hidden behind a stack of boxes. "Oi, Fred! Big oredr of skiving snackboxes just came in! You going to help or-," George poked his head around the boxers, catching sight of him. He set the boxes down on the table with a thunk, coming over to investigate. "What's that?" He motioned to the letter.  
Fred looked down, staring at the crinkled letter clenched in his grasp. It was ripped and smudged, like ron had rewritten it several times over, and crumpled it many times before finally sending it off. For half a second, he was tempted to shove it into his twins hands, to make fun of it, to figure out this problem together, and have both of them write to Ron. But a minute later, he decided against it. Ron had reached out to him, and it was time he started acting like a brother to him. Better late than never. Fred crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it into the fire, watching flames lick at the paper until it crumpled into ash. "Nothing. Just another letter from that Slytherin girl a year below us. Remember me telling you about that?"   
"Oh yeah. We should send her some dung bombs. She seems like a lovely girl." George swallowed the lie like it was candy. And why should he? They never lie to each other. Until now. "So you coming to help? Verity went home sick, so it's just us two."  
"I'll be out in a minute." As soon as the door closed, Fred took out a quill and parchment. But knowing Ron, he had the feeling it would take a lot more than a letter to help him. So he wrote the only thing he could think of.

Meet me at the astronomy tower at 1 in the morning tonight. Make sure you don't get caught. Use the map. And in the meantime, don't screw up more than usual. And, Lavender Brown? that's who you use to make Hermione jealous?

It was, Fred thought, very good for his first time talking girls with Ron.

 

That night, Fred snuck out of the flat he shared with George and apparated to Hogseade, climbing into a broekn window at the shrieking shack. In his fifth year, Ron revealed that one tunnel wasn't boarded up, like he had thought. It just led to the whomping willow. The whole time he was walking, he let his mind wander to what he would say. Ickle ronniekins, all grown up. All too soon, the relative comfort of not having to do this was ended with the end of the tunnel. by the time he made it to the astronomy tower and saw Ron standing there, he was actually nervous. Why the hell didn't he pass this off to George? He was better with the brother stuff.  
"So Hermione, hmm?" Fred said as way of greeting, climbing onto the window sill, looking out over the forbidden forest. "One to ten, how pissed is she?"  
"She's not even mad anymore Fred." And the way Ron said it, he sounded so pathetic, so miserable, even Fred Weasley, prankster extrodinaire, had to take pity on him. "Everytime she sees me and Lavender she closes her eyes and counts to ten, then turns around and walked away. five minutes later she's all buddy buddy with me, but you can tell she's been crying."  
"Why'd you even go out with the girl if you liked Hermione so much?" Probably some stupid reason.  
"It's complicated."  
"I'm smarter than you think."  
"Well," The tips of Ron's ears turned red. "Ginny mentioned something about Hermione snogging Krum. And..."  
"And you got jealous, so you just wanted to return the favor." Fred shook his head sadly. "I have to say, kissing Hermione will be a lot more enjoyable than kissing Lavender, from what I've heard. But why don't you tell me the real reason?"  
Ron looked up, confused, though this was nothing new, for he was always a little confused. "For what?"  
"For writing me. We both know there's more than I've got a girlfriend who I don't like. What gives?" Becuase Fred, as much as he told everyone differently, cared deeply for his little brother, and he knew when something was wrong.  
"Harry."   
"Harry's dating Ginny." This, Fred thought, just got a whole lot more interesting for everyone involved.  
"I know. And I know they don't think like that about each other, harry and Hermione. not yet. but since day one, Hermione's see him and me together, and you have to compre when we're side by side like that every day, right?" Ron was looking at the ground, his ears as red as his hair.  
"So?" Oh merlin, Fred thought. Don't do this, Ron, he silently pleaded. Don't say what I think you're going to say.  
"What if she doesn't like me back, Fred? I'm not The Chosen One. I'm Not the Boy Who Lived. I'm Ron. I'm the youngest brother in a big family with second hand robes and no money to his name. I'm not smart. I'm not brave. I'm not anything. I'm pathetic."   
"If Hermione doesn't like you, then she's stupid." Fred said forcefully. "And you're not Harry. So what? You're also the one who beat Mcgonagalls chess set in first year. You were going to face a basilisk to save your sister in second. You took on Sirius Balck for Harry, nevermind that he turned out to be more harmless than your pet rat. She would be lucky to get you. And don't forget it."  
"You think?" I think, Fred thought, that you look hopeful, more hopeful than you probably looked all term.  
"I know." Looking at the Mauraders map spread out on the ground, he saw Filch approaching. "Better get back to the common room. In the meantime, rewd this. It'll help." He shoved a book in his hands, Failsafe ways to charm witches. "Send me the invitation to the wedding."  
"Shut up." Ron said, hitting Fred on the shoulder half heartedly. But, when he looked over his shoulder, his little brother was smiling.  
Should have just sent a letter.

Meanwhile.....  
Dear Hermione,  
Don't worry about Lavender. My brother's been dreaming about you since first year. Wasn't it your name he mumbled in his sleep at the hospital wing? It'll all work out.  
He probably got jealous over some stupid, little thing. But this'll all blow over. In fact, it might be kind of fun, watching the poor bloke deal with a break up. nice touch with the birds though. Besides, aren't you three going off to hunt old Voldy in a year or so anyways? I might not be an expert, but maybe being more-than-friends would complicate this whole thing a little, especially with Harry third wheeling.  
He misses you, you know. You don't know it, and Ron and Fred don't know that I know it, but Ron sent Fred a letter asking for advice on what to do for his feelings about you. Just be patient. Afterall, (and here I quote you) he does have the emotional range of a teasppon, doesn't he?  
Much love, your future brother-in-law, George Weasley


End file.
